Nissan is also bold
or crazy with the basic design premise itself. It will be the
first mainstream battery electric vehicle (BEV), which means that
when the battery runs out of charge at around the 100 mile mark, the
vehicle will die.

For single-vehicle customers who are
interested in the LEAF, Nissan North America spokeswoman Katherine
Zachary told4WheelsNews that
the company is considering an unusual solution -- free rental
vehicles for long trips.

She said that the
solution would primarily apply to customers outside the U.S., as most
U.S. customers are expected to have a second traditional ICE or
hybrid vehicle. Whether that means that U.S. customers would
not get this perk was unclear.

One of the LEAF's key markets
is Nissan's home nation of Japan. Japanese workers tend to have
shorter commutes, but also tend to have only one family car.
Free rental cars could sweeten the deal for Japanese buyers and boost
customer satisfaction.

Another unknown, though, is whether
Nissan might consider a similar solution for North American customers
whose vehicles are challenged seasonally by weather. In cold
climates like Michigan or Minnesota, there's a strong possibility
that the LEAF may have trouble driving in the cold of winter.
Likewise, it may have problems running in hot summer months in warm
states like Arizona or New Mexico.

If Nissan indeed offers
free rental vehicles, that would be a somewhat ironic juxtaposition
with rental company Enterprise's recent
announcement that it would purchase 500 LEAF EVs for its
fleet.

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has already been sure to state
that the LEAF did not meet all drivers' needs. Will Nissan step
up to the plate and offer its buyers solutions to meet those
unfulfilled needs? And will it offer free rentals for its
rentals? The answers to those questions remain to be seen.